Guy Page: Is Donald Trump a racist? Evaluating what ’45’ has said and done

A former Vermont State House journalist — a sincerely good, decent, civil person of long and pleasant acquaintance — recently chastised me on my Facebook page for backing “racist” President Donald Trump. He said: “really gross to see you promoting Trump” and “Sad to see that you have become such an apologist for this racist and rapist who now occupies the White House” and “You must be twisted up like a pretzel with all the excuses you make for him. I hope selling your soul was worth it.”

Guy Page is affiliated with the Vermont Energy Partnership, the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare, and Physicians, Families & Friends for a Better Vermont.

Ouch!

Mom and Dad raised me to hate racism. The faith of my upbringing (Unitarian) and my adulthood (evangelical Christian, we take our souls very seriously) both reject racial hatred. When my 1960’s schoolyard playmates in Colchester used the N word, I never joined in. My late wife and I adopted two African-American children. We know and love birth family who still live in Philadelphia. Mistreating anyone on the basis of race is anathema to me.

I Invited my colleague to ask me why I support Trump the alleged racist. He declined. Anyway, here’s my answer.

I support Donald Trump in part because of what he has done and I hope will do for American minorities. For too long, Washington has talked the talk but not walked the walk. After two generations, the Great Society of big, supposedly benevolent government hasn’t really done much for Detroit, Baltimore, or even the poor neighborhoods of Washington D.C.. When Candidate Trump told African-Americans in Michigan, “what the h—l do you have to lose,” it resonated with me and I suspect many other Americans. I support his administration’s:

2017 Tax reform and ongoing red-tape rollbacks that have drastically reduced unemployment for minorities, and put more after-tax money in their pockets, with the promise of further progress. The best social program is a good job.

Determination to raise wages, reduce crime, and increase home ownership for all Americans of all skin colors. He is fighting the international trade system that has been taking jobs from Americans of color for far too long. You want to talk about systemic racism? Look at our trade policies that afflict low-income Americans.

Desire to transform inner city schools into places where student outcomes matter more than adult employees’ demands.

Work to reduce gang violence tormenting inner city families by (for starters) restoring respect for police and building a southern border wall to help interdict illegal drug trafficking.

Appointment of judges who oppose legal abortion on constitutional grounds. Abortionists have targeted minorities since the days of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger. Although African-Americans comprise just 13% of the U.S. population, 36% of aborted fetuses are African-American, the Centers for Disease Control reported in 2018. If systemic racism may be inferred from arrest statistics, surely it may be inferred from abortion statistics as well.

One might think that a president who has done much for minorities and hopes to do more could be excused for some eyebrow-raising tweets. Alas, one would be wrong. And in all fairness, sometimes his tone is too harsh and his criticism is misguided — although not nearly so often as his critics suggest. The following is my take on Trump’s supposedly racist statements that weren’t.

“Very Nice People” – For example, it’s just not true that Donald Trump said there are “some very nice people” in the Klan or the Nazi party. He was talking about the people who didn’t want Confederate statues taken down and he explicitly condemned Nazis and the Klan. Most of the media seem to have quite intentionally ignored this important fact. Sorry to disappoint, Trump haters: See the entire transcript of everything he said.

“Muslim Ban” – Days after jihadis slaughtered 14 people at a Christmas party in San Bernadino, California in December 2015, Candidate Trump called for “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the U.S.” This over-the-top campaign rhetoric could easily be understood as blanket bigotry towards all Muslims. But as president, Trump imposed a ban only on countries with terrorist governments or independent organizations, affecting just 12% of the world’s Muslim population. It may even be working. Since 2017, of the dozens of radical Islamic acts of terror worldwide, only one has occurred in the United States – in October 2017, when a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New York City. Eight people died.

“They are rapists” – June 16, 2015, Candidate Trump said (as quoted from Washington Post): “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.”

Trump critics construed this statement as ethnic condemnation of Mexicans, especially immigrants. Yet it is a fact that illegal immigrant women are often raped by their couriers before crossing into America — just ask Arizona border ranch owner Cindy McCain about the “rape tree” on the southern side of the border from which hangs the underwear of these unfortunate women. It is also true that virtually all heroin consumed in the U.S. is manufactured and transported from Mexico.

Those are the awful facts of the lawless injustices being committed by some Mexicans against their own countrymen and countrywomen, and against Americans. President Trump has a vigorous plan to stop that injustice by reinstituting the rule of law at our southern border.

“S—hole countries” – According to reports from lawmakers who were there, President Trump at an Oval Office meeting in January, 2018 pushed back against a bipartisan deal continuing existing Haitian and African immigration protections with the coarse question, “Why are we having all these people from s—hole countries come here?” Trump has always stressed that our government should prioritize immigrants who will benefit the U.S.. Hard-hearted? Possibly. Unfair to the governments of Haiti and Sierra Leone, where poverty and corruption continue no matter how much western aid is delivered? Not at all. Trump was passing judgement on the quality of government, not the skin color of its citizens.

And for all of the talk about mass deportations by Trump’s ICE, CNN reported last month that deportations were far higher under Pres. Obama than under Trump: “Trump still has not reached anywhere near the level of interior removals as the early Obama administration” referring to the steady increase over the first five years of his presidency. It is also interesting that the critics who accused Trump of racism when he called the Puerto Rican government a “mess” in April have been silent since recent revelations of mismanagement led to the resignation of the governor and a shake-up of the island commonwealth’s entrenched ruling class.

“Go back home” – On July 14 President Trump tweeted: “So interesting to see “Progressive” Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how … it is done.”

Because his tweet clearly referred to the Squad of Congresswomen Pressley, Tliab, Omar and Ocasio-Cortez — all women of color — his critics immediately called it racist. Actually, the tweet makes more sense in context with his “s—hole” comments. Trump is nothing if not a proud American nationalist. He thinks America really is a better place to live than Somalia, and he doesn’t mind saying so. Elected representatives who rip American government and are apologists for less effective governments merit his scorn. When it comes to America vs. other countries, or capitalism vs. socialism, don’t expect false equivalency from Trump.

Trump the “Birther” – Trump’s pre-campaign leadership of the “birther” movement, which questioned Barack Obama’s nation of birth, is considered by many as indisputable proof positive that he is both racist and panders to virulent white racists. But it’s more likely that Trump, while considering a presidential run in 2012, learned of the “birther issue” raised by a Clinton campaign worker in 2007, and then (unlike Clinton) decided to run with it. Not until 2011 did Pres. Obama produce definitive evidence – his actual, real-deal birth certificate. Whereupon Trump dropped the issue, as reported by CNN April 27, 2011: “I’ve accomplished something nobody else was able to accomplish,” Trump said. “I’d want to look at (the birth certificate), but I hope it’s true so that we can get on to much more important matters. Obama “should have (released the certificate) a long, long time ago.”

So, why did Trump lead the “birther” movement? One could argue that Trump was “dog-whistling” to American bigots. One could also argue persuasively that had GOP nominee McCain or Romney been born somewhere questionable under Section 1, Article II of the Constitution, Trump might have called them out, too, and for the same reason – because it drew attention to himself as an aggressive challenger of the political status quo, even if it meant being called a racist.

All of these explanations beg the question — if he’s not really a racist, why couldn’t a savvy guy like Trump just avoid the hassle and say the right things like every other smart politician? Here’s why: even New York Times Magazine editorial writer John Herrman concedes that the left has “weaponized” the issue of race – “meaning accusations of racial hatred, not racial hatred itself.” What the NYT Magazine finally admitted in March 2017 has long been taken as gospel among any conservatives trying to make headway against the leftward flow of laws, regulations and court decisions. Donald Trump appears to have decided from the outset that anyone — white or minority — who tries to hit him with that club or use it as a shield should expect a counterpunch.

He’s not trying to turn the other cheek, nor calm the waters. That hasn’t worked for any Republican since GW Bush, and more important it hasn’t accomplished much for marginalized Americans or all ethnic and racial origins. For one thing, the left’s weaponized racism is always pointed at conservatives, almost never at its own, as a black selectboard member in Hartford, VT discovered when virtually no-one in the Vermont media or advocacy or government world criticized an immigrant activist for calling him a “coon” at a July 20 public hearing.

“It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag. And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator. So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words: You will never be ignored again.”

In his mind, white Americans in the heartland and minority Americans in our cities share a common fate: the ruling class has written them off as collateral damage. But to Trump, they are the priority. He has made them a promise — and damn the torpedoes of weaponized race, it’s full speed ahead.

Guy Page is affiliated with the Vermont Energy Partnership; the Vermont Alliance for Ethical Healthcare; and Physicians, Families and Friends for a Better Vermont.

33 thoughts on “Guy Page: Is Donald Trump a racist? Evaluating what ’45’ has said and done”

President Trump only became a racist when he started winning over leftist. The whinner leftist couldn’t and still can’t find anything effective to beat him with so they fall to the last card in the deck, RACIST, RACIST, RACIST… 97%of the media and
99% of hollyweird are the Goebbels of the leftist message of hate..

They have ruined The meaning of the word for those they suppressed, The Democatic party WAS the KKK…and with the new breed congress critters 2 of the 4 Squats, are bringing back the Anti Semitic hate.. Project Much they do..

A bit off topic, but relevant in light of the invasive specie present.
I just finished viewing the final hour of the Hartford Selectboard debacle. Still reeling from the display of single minded nutballs intent on screwing with the emotions of the town to get a “policy” passed that would attempt thwarting federal law–to the point that the Police Chief is on the verge of quitting..

There seem to be large numbers of them. Where do they all come from? No coincidence that the CT valley stinks of them, and they infest its tributaries. It’s gonna take more than rotenone to get rid of them. They seem to lack the very concept of reason, using emotion as their singular argument.

Apparently you aren’t aware of how comments work Bisquick – If you don’t like what I write, there’s no need for you to read it. Sheep normally find simple tasks to be difficult. You must have come here for all the handouts, right?

Oh to long for those wonderful Obama/Biden years. Cash for clunkers, Obamacare, Solyndra bankruptcy, Benghazi, murderous IsIs, Fast and furious gun running, GDP in the toilet, no jobs from shovel ready jobs, IRS scandal, Doubled the national debt spending more than all previous presidents combined, Afghanistan and Syrian wars, illegal gun running into Libya, Hillary selling influence for contributions to the Clinton Slush fund foundation, the weaponization of federal agencies and last but not least the Spygate effort to take down a president. Those wonderful 8 scandal free years, Not!
And don’t forget the first black president was half Caucasian but he was allowed to use his race as a shield against ridicule.

Thanks, Guy. My take on President Trump being a labled a racist stems from the fact that Russian colusion turned out to be a myth so the heavy left wing crowd think racism will take the colusion fiasco’s place.

Brilliant article, Guy. Judging from those who have replied so far, we right-of-center thinkers are finally waking up! As to the whole “birther” thing with Obama, the real Constitutional issue was not where he – (and other candidates whose parents were not born here) – himself was born, but rather where his parents were born! That “Natural Born” language from our wonderful Constitution was the subject of much eloquent argument before the VSC by historian Brooke Paige last year. Sadly, the law court kicked that can down the road by never reaching the merits of the case; instead flimsily denying “standing” to Mr. Paige, thus leaving the substance of the question unresolved and ripe for another day. Alas, the left-leaning Justices in this state are unlikely to tackle such a weighty question; but, stay tuned. It’s bound to come up again…

Well said Guy. That should be publish across the whole U.S. Send it to all our liberal government and then hire bodyguards to protect yourself from the hate that will come from it.
Oh, I forgot, it’s only the conservatives that hate..

Actually Trump merely said he wanted the birth certificate issue to go away so the focus could turn to more important issues. He offered a major donation to the causes of Obama’s choice(s) if he had released it.
Trump knew it was a lost cause when the obviously very fake certificate was put on line. He declared it as a win and moved on.
The left is terrified of him and are willing to go to any lengths to make sure he loses next year. What are they afraid of? Positive results that are occurring without socialist schemes.

The racism card is merely being played by the mindless minions and arrogant acolytes of Saul Alinsky, Obama and Hillary mentor, who schools all would be socialists to attack accuse and name-call relentlessly. Bernie Sanders has namecalling on mental speed dial and it has become the defacto substitute for meaningful dialogue. Of course when you are playing the losing hand called socialism what else can you do but demean your opponent. Thanks for the article, Guy.

First off as we all know he’s not a career politician, he’s a NY Businessman so
you get what you get from working in ” The City ” ….. I get it !!

Is he a smooth talker ” Nope” does he say what’s on his mind ” Yup ” does he offend
thin-skinned people ” Oh Yeah “. Does he Tweet ” yup ” does he upset people, that would
be a ” Yes ” …….If you don’t like his tweet, don’t look at them !!

Has he done what he campaigned on ” Yes ” and then some, with all the roadblocks
thrown at him since day one, shame on the Liberal Left ….. but they have NO shame.

So if you go by the numbers Economy, Unemployment, Taxes and trying to stop the
influx of ” Illegals ” yes illegals, not the liberals term ” UnDocumented ” they broke
the law, just to name a few accomplishments !!

Is he Brash, does he say things that make you cringe ” Yes ” is he’s getting the job done “Yes”
is he a racist ” Nope”, …… Liberal Propaganda, it’s all they have.

Well said very! Plain to see left has *nothing* but ruinous rhetoric, failed unworkable policies, oh and a plan to bankrupt the nation…
Theres a reason why entire party has gravitated to crazy Uncle Joe…tho in obvious steep cognitive decline…the 20-something soon to be alsoran Marxists have scared the bejezus out of the majority of Dems who appear to be sane normal ppl…if one of the commies gets nom they will vote DJT imho…

Biskit you definitely have TDS, and believe what the left will tell you.
Learn to research on you own and not use quotes from the obviously TDS media like google, vox, etc. Try a library once on a while.

There are Sheep, Wolves and Sheepdogs in this world. You’re neither a wolf nor a sheepdog – so guess what’s left? You moved here from Florida a short time ago and you’ve got us all figured out, right? Get back to us after you’ve at least experienced a few years in the state.

Given that 49% of Democrats think that Trump voters are racist and everyone from the news media to Democratic presidential contenders continues to claim that Trump said that white supremacists at Charlottesville were “very fine people,” despite the fact that he clearly said exactly the opposite, it is inevitable that some people will falsely accuse Donald Trump of being a racist….So, how does a man who took a picture in 1986 with Muhammad Ali and Rosa Parks when he won an Ellis Island award that is supposed to, “embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood, and diversity,” clear his name? How does a man who has donated to (Al) Sharpton’s original organization, the National Youth Movement, cut the ribbon at the 2002 conventions of Sharpton’s current group, the National Action Network, and gave rent-free space to Jessie Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition counter the irrational allegations that he’s a white supremacist?…So, here are 17 times Donald Trump has condemned racism, hate, white supremacism, the Alt-Right, the KKK or David Duke.

1) “I am concerned about the rise of any group of hate. I don’t like it, any group of hate, whether its white supremacy, whether it’s any other kind of supremacy, whether its antifa… I am very concerned about it and I’ll do something about it.” – Business Insider, 8/7/2019

2) “The shooter in El Paso posted a manifesto online consumed by racist hate. In one voice, our nation must condemn racism, bigotry, and white supremacy. These sinister ideologies must be defeated. Hate has no place in America. Hatred warps the mind, ravages the heart, and devours the soul. We have asked the FBI to identify all further resources they need to investigate and disrupt hate crimes and domestic terrorism – whatever they need.” – National Review, 8/06/2019

3) “The riots in Charlottesville a year ago resulted in senseless death and division,” Trump posted on Twitter Saturday morning. “We must come together as a nation. I condemn all types of racism and acts of violence. Peace to ALL Americans!” – USA Today, 8/11/2018

4) “I want to applaud the many protestors in Boston who are speaking out against bigotry and hate. Our country will soon come together as one!” – Trump Tweet, 8/19/2017

5) “We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people.” – Washington Examiner, 6/16/2016

6) “I’m not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally.” – Trump in his famous remarks about Charlottesville, 8/15/2017

7) “Racism is evil, and those who cause violence in its name are criminals and thugs, including the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups that are repugnant to everything we hold dear as Americans.” – NPR, 8/14/2017

8) “I don’t want to energize the (Alt-Right), and I disavow the group,” Trump told Baquet. “It’s not a group I want to energize, and if they are energized, I want to look into it and find out why.” Asked point-blank about the conference featuring (Richard) Spencer, Trump again disavowed any support. “I disavow and condemn them,” Trump told Times reporters. He did chide them for continuing to ask about the topic though, telling one questioner: “Boy, you are really into [this issue].” – Politico, 11/22/2016

9) “I don’t like any group of hate. Hate groups are not for me. How many times do I have to reject? I’ve rejected David Duke. I’ve rejected the KKK, the Ku Klux Klan, from the time I’m five-years-old.” – The Washington Examiner, 3/6/2016

11) “David Duke is a bad person, who I disavowed on numerous occasions over the years,” Trump said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I disavowed him. I disavowed the KKK,” Trump added. “Do you want me to do it again for the 12th time? I disavowed him in the past, I disavow him now.” – CNN, 3/3/2016

12) “David Duke and all was disavowed. I disavowed him on Friday. I disavowed them right after that because I thought if there was any question and you take a look at Twitter, almost immediately after on Twitter and Facebook, they were disavowed again. I disavow him every time I speak to somebody virtually and they just keep it going.” – ABC, 3/1/2016

13) “I disavowed David Duke a day before in a major press conference, and I’m saying to myself: How many times do I have to continue to disavow people…” – NBC, 2/29/2016

16) “Well, you’ve got David Duke just joined (the Reform Party) – a bigot, a racist, a problem. I mean, this is not exactly the people you want in your party.” – NBC News, 2/24/2000

17) “I’ve had the chance to learn firsthand about the diversity of American culture, and it has left me with little appetite for those who hate or preach intolerance. One of our next president’s most important goals must be to induce a greater sense of tolerance for diversity.” – Donald Trump in his book, The America We Deserve, published 1/12/2000

Donald Trump was a lifelong New York liberal and gave to liberal Dem causes and politicos from New York – including the Clintons, who were rumored to have advised him to run on the R ticket lol.

And, has been interested in running since mid-1980s, with same consistant message that US and all of us were being screwed by our politicians who basically sold us out to foreign interests for millions upon millions in kick backs and other bribes for decades…Clintons were infamous in destroying our nation with NAFTA and losing 5-7 million manufacturing jobs and closing thousands of factories – leaving our cities a vast wasteland.

Hussein declared that those jobs were never coming back – oh…and all coal plants would be closed. HA!
Joe Biden and son received billions in one form or another, and Uncle Joe also went to Ukraine with his drug addicted criminal son and received more funds and bragged about having one of their leader fired bc he didn’t like the man.

Unfortunately, the left has collectively lost their minds. The old-school Dems who are maintaining Bidens lead are in the majority imho and likely terrified into silence as the terrorist wing of the party continues their destructive rampage. And now claiming not only DJT is responsible for recent shootings…but all of his supporters. All those who are threatening those they disagree with and standing in the same camp are pure evil. Unfortunately living by the sword has its downside.

Many Dems including Bill and Hillary Clinton are closeted racists:
At the Inner Circle Dinner onstage with mayor DiBlasio and a black actor from the play, callously displayed their complete and utter disdain for black
America with a scripted exchange that was almost completely ignored by the same ppl now screaming racist!!! at fever-pitch ad nauseum. And she was running for potus no less. In the video which is not in this link Hillary turns to said actor- pointedly and disapprovingly looking him up and down.
Off-color: Hillary Clinton and NYC mayor spoof ‘Colored People Time’ joke, backlash ensues
Published time: 12 Apr, 2016 00:18https://www.rt.com/usa/339256-hillary-clinton-cpt-joke/

Hillary made a point of frequently praising exKKK member Robert Byrd serving in the senate as her “mentor” as well as continually calling herself a “Goldwater Girl” referencing former Republican ties…Southern Strategy notwithstanding…BG voted against the Civil Rights act.